Quilting machine



Sept. 9, 1969 GERLACH ETAL 3,465,697

' QUILTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTORS LEIF GERLACH EUGENE C. PLATT ATTORNEY p 1969 L. GERLACH ET AL 3,465,697

QUILTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS LEIF GERLACH EUGENE C PLATT ATTORNEY FIG. 2.

Sept 9, 1969 GERLA H ETAL 3,465,697

QUILTING MACHINE 6 Filed Nov. 14, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 :36 4 25 i 62 6/ I22 07 44 FIG. 3. 40 47 L 4/ FIG. 6. I

4! F I G. 7. 4H

HI' [2/ IL 08 FIG. 4

I FIG, 5. x\\\ 36 INVENTORS LEIF GERLACH EUGENE c. PLATT ATTORNEY Sept. 9, 1969 L, GERLA H ET M. 13,465,697

QUILTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS LEIF GERLACH EUGENE C. PLATT 10 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,465,697 QUILTING MACHINE Leif Gerlach and Eugene C. Platt, Brooklyn, N.Y., as-

signors to Platt Brothers Machine Corp., Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 14, 15967, Ser. No. 682,916 Int. Cl. D051) 11/00, 35/00 US. Cl. 112118 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A quilting machine having a row of reciprocated needles in a frame to stitch fabric plies and interposed batting fed past the needles on a cam actuated carriage movable in the direction of the needle row, pinch rollers on the carriage at one side of the needles forcontrolling the feed of the plies normal to the needle row and shafts at the other side of the needles holding supply rolls from which the fabric plies are unwound upon pulling of the plies by the pinch rollers, is provided with a reversible drive for selectively rotating the pinch rollers in one direction or the other under the influence of a cam actuated control, and with devices connected to the supply roll carrying shafts for yieldably resisting unwinding of the rolls and thereby tensioning the plies during rotation of the pinch rollers in the direction pulling the plies and being energized, as by torsional loading of a spring, in response to unwinding of the respective roll, to effect rewinding of such roll upon a subsequent rotation of the pinch rollers in the opposite direction for substantially maintaining the tension in the plies.

This invention relates to quilting machines, and more particularly is directed to improvements in quilting machines of the type in which fabric plies and an interposed batting are stitched together by at least one row of needles reciprocated in a frame and past which the plies are fed on a cam actuated carriage movable in the direction of the needle row, with pinch rollers on the carriage at one side of the needles controlling the feed of the plies normal to the needle row from supply rolls on shafts at the other side of the needles.

In quilting machines of the described character, rotational movements of the pinch rollers in the direction to pull the fabric plies longitudinally past the row of needles and movements of the carriage in the direction of the needle row, that is, transversely with respect to the direction in which the plies are pulled by the pinch rollers, are coordinated so that each needle of the machine produces a line of stitching having a configuration that is repeated during successive operating cycles of the machine. In commercially available quilting machines of the described type, the configurations of the lines of stitching formed by the several needles during each operating cycle are limited by reason of the fact that, although the carriage is movable back and forth in directions parallel to the needle row, feed of the fabric plies in their longitudinal direction, that is, normal to the direction of the needle row, can only occur in the direction from the supply rolls toward the pinch rollers. Thus, such commercially available quilting machines cannot form stitched patterns having closed loops.

Special quilting machines have been provided for forming stitched patterns having closed loops. In such special quilting machines, the carriage which is movable parallel to the direction of the needle row is mounted, in turn, on a sub-carriage movable in directions normal to the needle row, with mechanisms being provided to effect the controlled movements of both carriages. However, special quilting machines having two carriages movable at right "ice angles to each other are relatively complex and costly and usually are intended for the quilting of piece goods of defined, relatively short lengths, rather than for the quilting of continuous plies or webs of fabrics drawn from unwinding supply rolls.

Although it has been proposed, for example, in US. Patent No. 456,726, to provide a quilting machine of the described character with mechanisms for rotating the feed or pinch rollers at certain times in the direction to cause the goods to be fed lengthwise in one direction and, at other times, in the opposite direction so that, by combining the side-to-side movement of the carriage carrying the feed or pinch rollers and the reversed feed of the goods, rows or lines of stitching may be provided in any desired patterns, such proposed machine embodies complex mechanisms for effecting the controlled forward and reverse longitudinal movements of the fabric plies, which mechanisms are costly and difficult to maintain. Further, inadequate and uneven tensions are developed in the fabric plies, particularly during the reverse feed thereof, so that the quality of the stitching is adversely affected.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a quilting machine of the described character with relatively simple and reliable mechanisms by which stitching in any desired patterns may be formed in the fabrics being quilted.

A more specific object is to provide a quilting machine of the described character in which, in addition to the usual side-to-side movements of the carriage and the rotation of the pinch or feed rollers in the direction to pull the fabric plies from the supply rolls, longitudinal movements may be imparted to the fabric plies in the direction from the pinch rollers toward the supply rolls.

A further object is to provide a quilting machine of the described character in which the fabric plies are maintained under a substantially uniform tension during all of the movements imparted thereto for producing the desired patterns of stitching.

Still another object is to provide a quilting machine of the described character in which not only the direction, but also the speed of the longitudinal movements of the fabric plies may be changed so as to ensure that stitches of substantially uniform length are formed while imparting all of the possible combinations of movements to the fabrics being quilted.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, a quilting machine of the type having a row of reciprocated needles in a frame to stitch together fabric plies and interposed batting fed past the needles on a cam actuated carriage movable in the direction of the needle row, pinch rollers on the carriage at one side of the needles for controlling the longitudinal feed of the plies and shafts at the other side of the needles holding the supply rolls from which the fabric plies are unwound upon pulling of the plies by the pinch rollers, is provided with a reversible drive for selectively rotating the pinch rollers in one direction or the other under the influence of a cam actuated control, and with means yieldably resisting unwinding of the supply rolls so as to establish a tension in the plies during rotation of the pinch rollers in the direction for pulling the plies and being energized in response to such unwinding of the supply rolls upon a subsequent rotation of the pinch rollers in the opposite direction, whereby to substantially maintain a desired tension in the plies.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of this invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a simplified perspective view illustrating those components of a quilting machine necessary for understanding this invention which is embodied therein;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view illustrating mechanisms provided in accordance with this invention for selectively effecting rotation of the pinch rollers in one direction or the other, and for changing the speeds at which such rotation occurs;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of a reversible drive assembly provided in acordance with this invention and, as viewed in the direction of the arrows 3-3 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail secional view taken along the line 44 FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an axial sectional view of the reversible drive assembly of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are enlarged, fragmentary views illustrating details of a clutch mechanism included in the drive assembly of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, enlarged perspective view of one of the devices provided in accordance with this invention for yieldably resisting unwinding of a supply roll during longitudinal feed of the fabric plies in one direction and for rewinding the supply roll to effect longitudinal feed of the fabric play in the opposite direction;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 99 on FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line 10-10 on FIG 9; and

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating a typical pattern of stitching that can be produced with a quilting machine in accordance with this invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that a quilting machine 10 of the type to which the present invention is desirably applied comprises a frame 11 having a bed 12 and a superstructure 13 rising thereabove in which needles 14 arranged in one or more rows are mounted for vertical reciprocation. A carriage 15 is slidably mounted on bed 12 of the frame for side-to-side movement relative to frame 11, that is, for movements relative to needles 14 in directions parallel to the needle row.

As is usual, the material to be quilted is shown to consist of "top and bottom fabric plies unwound from supply rolls 16 and 17, respectively, mounted on carriage 15 at one side of the needle row, for example, at the front thereof as shown and hereinafter described in detail, and an interposed layer of batting which is unwound from a supply roll 18. The usual pinch or feed rollers 19, 20 and 21 are mounted on carriage 15 at the side of the needle row remote from supply rolls 1'6 and 17, that is, at the back of the needle row, as shown, and engage the fabric plies with the batting therebetween for controlling the longitudinal feed of the plies, that is, the movements of the plies in directions normal to the needle row. It will be apparent that, between the supply rolls 16 and 17 and the feed or pinch rollers 19, 20 and 21, the fabric plies and the interposed batting extend over carriage 15 so as to be stitched together in the usual manner by the action of the needles 14 when the latter are reciprocated.

Mechanisms 22 for controlling the movements imparted to the material being quilted are provided on frame 11 at one end portion thereof and, as shown on FIG. 2, comprise an electric motor 23 which, through a belt and pulley transmission 24, effects rotation of a main shaft 25 having a hand wheel 26 thereon by which slow manual operation can be effected when setting up the machine. Main shaft 25 enters a gear box 27 provided with suitable gearing to effect the relatively high speed rotation of an output shaft 28 from which the reciprocated needles 14 are driven in conventional manner and the relatively slow speed rotation of a cam shaft 29 which effects a single complete revolution during each operating cycle of the quilting machine, that is, during the formation of each stitched pattern to be repeated. Cam shaft 29 is shown to carry the conventional cam 30 for effecting the controlled side-to-side movements of carriage 15, for example, by means of cam follower rollers 31 engaging the periphery of cam 30 at opposed locations and being carried by a slide 32 which is mounted for lateral reciprocation and connected, as by a link 33, with carriage 15.

Also extending from gear box 27 is an output shaft 34 (FIG. 2) from which pinch rollers 19, 20 and 21 are to be driven. In accordance with this invention, a reversible drive assembly 35 is included in the connection between shaft 34 and the pinch rollers so that the latter may be selectively driven in one direction or the other. Such reversible drive assembly 35 is shown to include a shaft 36 rotatably supported in bearing 37 and being driven from output shaft 34 by meshing gears 38 and 39 (FIG. 2) respectively secured on shaft 34 and 36. Drive gears 40 and 41 are mounted at axially spaced locations on shaft 36, for example, on suitable bearings 42 and 43 fixed to the shaft (FIG. 5), so that drive gears 40 and 41 are free to rotate individually relative to shaft 36. A clutch device 44 is provided for alternatively coupling gear 40 or gear 41 with shaft 36. The clutch device is shown to include a driving member 45 which is keyed, as at 46, or splined to shaft 36 (FIG. 5) so as to rotate with shaft 36 while being axially movable along the latter between gears 40 and 41, and driven members 47 and 48 on gears 40 and 41, respectively, which are selectively engageable by the driving member 45 upon axial movement of the latter toward the respective gear. Driving member 45 is shown to have annular arrays of raked teeth 49 and 50 (FIGS. 6 and 7) projecting axially from the opposite end edges thereof for selective engagement with similarly raked annular arrays of teeth 51 and 52 projecting axially from the adjacent driven members 47 and 48, respectively.

It will be apparent that, when driving member 45 is displaced toward the right, as viewed on FIG. 3, to engage teeth 50 of driving member 45 with teeth 52 of driven member 48, drive gear 41 is thereby coupled with shaft 36 to rotate with the latter. Conversely, when driving member 45 is displaced toward the left from the position shown on FIG. 3 so as to engage teeth 49 with teeth 51, gear 40 is coupled with shaft 36 to rotate with the latter, and gear 41 is released so as to be free to rotate relative to shaft 36. Drive gear 40 is in meshing engagement with a pinion 53 fixed on a shaft 54 journalled in suitable supports 55 (FIG. 3), and a pinion 56 also secured on shaft 54 meshes with a pinion 57 fixed on a shaft 58 that is also journalled in supports 55. A pinion 59 secured on shaft 58 or otherwise rotatable with pinion 57 meshes with drive gear 41. The pinions 53, 56, 57 and 59 constitute a reversing gear train between drive gears 40 and 41 serving to rotate gear 41 counter to the direction of rotation of shaft 36 when drive gear 40 is coupled to shaft 36 through clutch device 44. Thus, drive gear 41 either rotates in the direction of shaft 36 when directly coupled thereto by clutch device 44, or gear 41 is rotated counter to the direction of rotation of shaft 36 when clutch device 44 couples gear 40 to shaft 36.

It is further to be noted that the axial distance between the teeth 51 and 52 on driven members 47 and 48 is substantially greater than the dimension along driving member 45 from the points of teeth 49 to the points of teeth 50 so that driving member 45 can be displaced to a neutral position midway between driven members 47 and 48, at which neutral position the teeth of the driving member 45 are disengaged from the teeth on both driven members 47 and 48.

In order to effect axial displacement of driving member 45 into selective engagement with driven member 47 or driven member 48 or into its neutral position, driving member 45 is formed with an external, circumferential groove 60 (FIGS. 3 and 5) in which is engaged a roller 61 rotatably mounted at one end of an actuating lever 62 (FIGS. 2 and 3). Lever 62 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, as at 63 (FIG. 2), on a support bracket 64 which further carries a solenoid 65. The armature 66 of solenoid 65 is connected by a link 67 to the end of lever 62 remote from the roller 61. The connection of link 67 to lever 62 is preferably effected by a pin 68 which is selectively engageable in one or the other of two spaced apart apertures 69 formed in the link to vary the effective length of link 67 and thereby determine the extent of the angular displacement of lever 62 effected when solenoid 65 is energized to retract its armature 66. A spring 70 is shown connected between lever 62 and a bracket 71 (FIG. 2) to urge lever 62 angularly in the direction opposed to the displacement of lever 62 effected when solenoid 65 is energized. In drive assembly 35, as shown, spring 70 urges lever 62 in the clockwise direction, as viewed on FIG. 2, to move driving member 45 into engagement with driven member 48 on gear 41. With pin 68 engaged in the aperture 69 of link 67 which affords to the latter the longer effective length, as shown on FIG. 2, energizing of solenoid 65 to retract its armature 66 displaces lever 62 in the counterclockwise direction only to the extent suificient to move driving member 45 to its neutral position disengaged from both driven members 47 and 48. However, when pin 68 is engaged in the aperture 69 which is spaced from the end of link 67 so as to shorten the effective length of the latter, energizing of solenoid 65 causes angular displacement of lever 62 to an extent sufficient to move driving member 45 out of engagement with driven member 48 and into engagement with driven member 47. Upon deenergizing of solenoid 65, spring 70 is then effective to return driving member 45 into engagement with driven member 48.

As shown particularly on FIGS. 6 and 7, the teeth 49 and 50 provided on driving member 45 for engagement with similar teeth on driven members 47 and 48 are oppositely raked. Thus, teeth 49 and 51 present mutually engageable drive surfaces 72 (FIG. 6) lying in planes angled with respect to the axis of shaft 36, whereas teeth 50 and 52 present mutually engageable drive surfaces 73 in planes parallel to the axis of shaft 36. Although the mutually engageable drive surfaces 73 lie in planes parallel to the axis of shaft 36, the force exerted by solenoid 65 upon its energization is sufficient to effect disengagement of such drive surfaces. However, a similar arrangement of the drive surfaces 72 would resist the disengagement thereof by the force exerted by spring 70 upon deenergizing of solenoid 65. The possibility of driving member 45 remaining in engagement with driven member 47 upon deenergizing of solenoid 65 is prevented by the previously mentioned positioning of the mutually engageable drive surfaces 72 in planes at angles to the shaft axis so that spring 70 does not need to overcome the frictional resistance to relative sliding of the drive surfaces.

As shown on FIG. 2, drive gear 41 meshes with a gear 74 on a shaft 75 to rotate the latter in one direction or the other depending upon the position to which driving member 45 of clutch device 44 has been displaced. Rotation of shaft 75 is transmitted, as through bevel gears 76 and 77, to a shaft 78 and, from the latter, through successive gears 79, 80 and 81 to the input shaft 82 of a changespeed assembly 83. The gears 79, 80 and 81 may be interchanged to alter the drive ratio between shafts 75 and 82 before operation of the quilting machine is commenced.

The change-speed assembly 83 is shown to include drive gears 84 and 85 which are mounted at axially spaced apart locations on input shaft 82 and free to rotate relative to the latter, and a clutch device 44a which is general- 1y similar to the previously described clutch device 44 and is operative to selectively couple one or the other of the drive gears 84 and to the shaft 82. As in the previously described clutch device, the driving member 45a of clutch device 44a is movable axially into selective engagement with the driven member on One or the other of gears 64 and 65 by means of an actuating lever 62a pivotally mounted on a bracket 64a which also carries a solenoid 65a having its armature 66a connected through a link 67a with the lever, as at 6811. A spring 70a is also connected to lever 62a and to a bracket 71a to urge the lever angularly in the direction causing clutch device 44a to couple gear 85 with the shaft 82, whereas energiz ing of solenoid 65a to retract its armature causes angular displacement of actuating lever 62a to cause clutch device 64a to disengage gear 85 and to couple gear 84 to shaft 82. Gears 84 and 85 are shown to have different pitch diameters and to be incontinuous meshing engagement with driven gears 86 and 87, respectively, which are both secured on an output shaft 88 journalled in a bearing housing 89. Meshing gears 84 and 86 and meshing gears 85 and 87 provided two different gear ratios, for example, a 1:2 ratio and a 1:1 ratio, respectively, so that, when gear 85 is coupled to shaft 82, output shaft 88 is driven at the same speed as input shaft 82 and, when gear 84 is coupled with input shaft 82, output shaft 88 is driven at one-half the speed of input shaft 88.

Qutput shaft 88 of change-speed assembly 83 is shown to be connected, as through universal joints 90 and 91 and an intermediate splined, telescoping shaft assembly 92, to an extension 93 at one end of pinch roller 19. The rotation thus imparted to pinch roller 19 is transmitted to the other pinch rollers 20 and 21 through successive meshing gears 94, 95 and 96.

The selective energizing of solenoids 65 and 65a is effected through suitable electric circuits (not shown) that respectively include switches 97 and 97a (FIG. 2) actuable by cams 98 and 98a mounted on cam shaft 29 for rotation with cam 30. The contour of cam 98 is selected to cause closing of switch 97 and energizing of solenoid 65 only during the portion or portions of each operating cycle when it is desired to either reverse the direction of rotation of pinch rollers 19, 20 and 21 or when it is desired to halt rotation of the pinch rollers, depending upon which one of apertures 69 in link 67 receives the connecting pin 68. Similarly, the contour of cam 98a is selected to cause closing of switch 97a and consequent energizing of solenoid 65a only during the portion or portions of each operating cycle when it is desired to drive pinch rollers 19, 20 and 21 at one-half their normal speed for feeding the material being quilted.

Returning to FIG. 1, it will be seen that supply rolls 16 and 17 from which the upper and lower fabric plies are unwound are suitably fixed on shafts 99 and 100 which are rotatably supported, at their ends, in journals 101 depending from carriage 15 at the front of frame 11. In accordance with this invention, each of shafts 99 and 100' has associated therewith a device 102 which yieldably resists unwinding of the respective supply roll so as to establish a tension in each fabric ply during rotation of the pinch rollers in the direction for pulling the fabric plies, and which device is energized in response to the unwinding of the respective supply roll to effect rewinding of the fabric ply on such supply roll upon a subsequent rotation of the pinch rollers in the opposite direction, whereby to maintain a substantial tension in the fabric ply during the longitudinal feeding thereof in either direction with respect to needles 14.

As shown particularly on FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, with respect to the device 102 associated with shaft 99, each of devices 102 includes a collar 103 secured, as by a set screw 104, on shaft 99 to turn therewith, a helical torsion spring 105 extending around shaft 99 and having one of its ends 106 secured in collar 103 while its opposite end 107 is anchored in a collar 108 that is mounted on shaft 99 for free rotation with respect to the latter, as by a bearing 109 (FIG. 9). Such collar 108 has an extension 110 the outer cylindrical surface of which is engageable by braking means 112 which resists rotation of collar 108 with a predetermined frictional force. As shown, the braking means 112 may be desirably constituted by a fiexible strip 113 of leather or other frictional braking material disposed inside a strip 114 of spring metal and being wrapped around the cylindrical surface of extension 110. The opposite ends of the leather and spring metal strips 113 and 114 are riveted or otherwise suitably secured to a straight rigid strap 115 and to an angled member 116 which bears against the straight strap (FIGS. 8 and 10). An adjusting bolt 117 extends loosely through a suitable hole in angle member 116 and is threadably engaged in a tapped opening in straight strap 115 so that turning of adjustment bolt 117 can angularly displace member 116 relative to strap 115 in the direction bringing the ends of strips 113 and 114 closer together, and thereby increase the radial pressure of leather strip 113 against the surface of cylindrical extension 110. The straight strap 115 of the device 102 associated with shaft 99 may be of sufficient length to bear against shaft 100, while the strap 115 of the device 102 on shaft 100 is of sufficient length to bear against the other shaft 99, whereby the straps 115 are prevented from turning with the respective shafts 99 and 100 in the direction of rotation of such shafts for unwinding of the ply fabric from the respective supply rolls 16 and 17.

It will be apparent that, during unwinding of fabric from supply roll 16, collar 103 turns with shaft 99 and thereby torsionally loads spring 105 until such torsional load exceeds the frictional force with which braking means 112 resists rotation of collar 108. When continued unwinding of fabric from supply roll 16 causes the torsional load in spring 105 to exceed such frictional braking force, collar 108 slips relative to braking means 112 and thereby ensures that a substantial predetermined tension is maintained in the fabric ply during longitudinal feeding thereof by pinch rollers 19, 20 and 21 in the direction for unwinding the fabric ply from the supply roll. However, when pinch rollers 19, 20 and 21 are subsequently turned in the reverse direction, as by closing of switch 97 to effect energizing of solenoid 65, the energy previously stored in each spring 105 by the torsional loading thereof then acts to turn the respective shaft 99 or 100 in the direction for rewinding the fabric ply on the supply roll 16 or 17. Thus, when the pinch rollers are rotated in the reverse direction, supply rolls 16 and 17 are made to rotate in the direction for rewinding the fabric plies thereon so as to effect longitudinal movement of the material being quilted past needles 14 in the direction from the pinch rollers toward the supply rolls while maintaining a substantial tension in the material being quilted.

Since energizing of solenoid 65 is intended to either effect reverse rotation of the pinch rollers, or merely to halt the rotation thereof by disengaging driving member 45 of clutch device 44 from both driven members 47 and 48, it is necessary that, when driving member 45 is thus disposed in its neutral position, devices 102 should not be effective to turn shafts 99 and 100 in the directions for rewinding the fabric plies on supply rolls 16 and 17. Thus, in accordance with this invention, a pawl and sprocket arrangement is interposed between reversible drive assembly and the pinch rollers to prevent reverse rotation of the latter except when solenoid 65 displaces driving member into engagement with driven member 47. For example, as shown on FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, a ratchet 118 may be either fixed or integral with gear 41 and engageable by a pawl 119 which is pivotally supported, as at 120 (FIG. 4), on bracket 64 carrying solenoid 65. The teeth of ratchet 118 are raked so that, as long as pawl 119 is engaged therewith, gear 41 can only rotate in the direction for effecting forward rotation of pinch rollers 19, 20 and 21. In order to release pawl 119 from ratchet 118 when reverse rotation of the pinch rollers is desired, a cam rod 121 extends from actuating lever 62 under pawl 119 and is guided in a support 122 extending from bracket 64 (FIGS. 2 and 3). Such cam rod 121 has a camming portion 123 (FIG. 3) which is brought under pawl 119 to raise the latter away from ratchet 118 when actuating lever 62 is angularly displaced to the position for effecting reverse rotation of the pinch rollers.

Although ratchet 118 has been shown fixed to gear 41, such ratchet can be provided at any other location in the transmission between reversible drive assembly 35 and shaft extension 93 of pinch roller 19, for example, on the output shaft 88 of change-speed assembly 83. When the ratchet 118 is thus relocated, the pawl 119 engageable with the ratchet is nevertheless displaceable away from the ratchet to free the pinch rollers for reverse rotation when actuating lever 62 is displaced sufficiently upon energizing of solenoid 65 to couple gear 40 with drive shaft 36. With the ratchet 118 relocated at a position remote from reversible drive assembly 35, a suitably extended mechanical linkage is provided from actuating lever 62 to a cam rod similar to the previously described cam rod 122 for moving pawl 119 out of engagement with ratchet 118.

The reversible drive assembly 35, change-speed assembly 83 and devices 102 for tensioning the fabric plies and effecting rewinding of the supply rolls during reverse rotation of the pinch rollers may be installed on existing quilting machines to adapt the same for the production of a wide variety of patterns or designs or such components in accordance with this invention may be incorporated as original equipment in quilting machines to have the capability of producing substantially unrestricted patterns or designs.

As shown on FIG. 11, the pattern of stitching S formed by each needle of a quilting machine embodying this invention during each operating cycle 0 may include a closed loop. In order to produce such pattern, earns 30, 98 and 98a are shaped to effect the sequence of movements and operations that follows:

(I) During the stitching of the initial portion s of the pattern (a) Cam 30 causes lateral displacement of carriage 15 in the direction D at a progressively increasing speed.

(b) Cam 98 allows switch 97 to remain open so that solenoid 65 is deenergized and pinch rollers 19, 20 and 21 are driven for longitudinal movement of the plies in the forward direction d and (c) Cam 98a allows switch 97a to remain open so that solenoid 65a is deenergized and change-speed assembly 83 establishes a 1 :1 ratio at the initial portion s where the stitches are substantially in the longitudinal direction (that is, where there is only slow lateral movement of carriage 15) and, thereafter, as the speed of lateral movement of the carriage increases, cam 98a closes switch 97a to energize solenoid 65a and cause change-speed assembly 83 to reduce the speed at which the pinch rollers are driven, whereby to avoid the excessive elongation of the stitches.

(II) During the stitching of the intermediate portion s of the pattern (a) Cam 30 first continues the lateral movement of carriage 15 in the direction D and then reverses such lateral movement to the direction D,,

(b) Cam 98 closes switch 97 to energize solenoid 65 and thereby cause reverse rotation of the pinch rollers while supply rolls 16 and 17 are turned in the rewinding direction by devices 102 so that the fabric plies are moved longitudinally in the reverse direction d,, and

(c) Cam 98a may close switch 97a to slow the rotation of the pinch rollers only at the beginning and end of pattern portion s and thereby maintain the stitch sizes within reasonable limits.

(III) During the stitching of the final portion .9 of the pattern (a) Cam 30 continues the lateral movement of carriage in the direction D, at a progressively decreasing speed,

(b) Cam 98 opens switch 97 to deenergize solenoid 65 and thereby cause forward rotation of the pinch rollers for longitudinal movement of the fabric plies in the direction d and (c) Cam 98a initially closes switch 97a to slow the rotation of pinch rollers 19, and 21, and then opens switch 97a to return to the relatively high speed rotation of the pinch rollers in the concluding part of the pattern where the stitches extend more or less in the longitudinal direction.

From the above description of the sequence of operation of switches 97 and 97a by cams 98 and 98a and the lateral movement of carriage 15 by cam for an illustrative pattern as shown on FIG. 11, it will be apparent that a wide and relatively unrestricted variety of patterns may be obtained merely by suitable selection of the contours and relative angular positions of cams 30, 98 and 98a on the cam shaft.

Further, if the stitched pattern is to have straight portions extending transversely, such portions can be obtained by changing the location of connecting pin 68 so that energizing of solenoid 65 only moves driving member 45 to its neutral position for halting the pinch rollers rather than effecting their reverse rotation, as described above.

It will be apparent that a quilting machine embodying this invention achieves great flexibility of operation through the use of relatively simple components which are reliable in operation and easy to maintain.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic quilting machine of the type in which needles arranged in at least one row are reciprocated in a frame for stitching together fabric plies with batting therebetween as such plies are fed past the needles on a carriage slidable relative to the frame in the direction of the needle row, pinch rollers mounted on the carriage at one side of the needle row engage the plies with the batting therebetween for controlling the feed of the plies normal to the needle row, shafts at the other side of the needle row hold supply rolls from which the fabric plies are unwound in response to pulling of the plies by the pinch rollers and a rotated cam effects controlled movements of the carriage in the direction of the needle row during each operating cycle of the machine; the combination of reversible drive means for rotating said pinch rollers selectively in one direction to pull the plies, and hence unwind the latter from said supply rolls, and in the opposite direction, cam controlled means to determine the directions in which said drive means rotates said pinch rollers during said operating cycle, and means yieldably resisting unwinding of said supply rolls so as to establish a tension in said plies during rotation of said pinch rollers in said one direction and being energized in response to said unwinding to effect rewinding of the plies on said supply rolls upon a subsequent rotation of said pinch rollers in said other direction, whereby to maintain substantially said tension in the plies.

2. An automatic quilting machine according to claim 1, in which said reversible drive means includes a rotated input shaft, first and second drive gears mounted on said input shaft for rotation relative to the latter, clutch means actuable by said cam controlled means to alternatively couple said first and second drive gears with said input shaft, means for rotatably connecting said first drive gear with said pinch rollers so as to rotate the latter in said one direction upon rotation of said first drive gear with said input shaft, and reversing gear means in meshing engagement with said first and second drive gears so as to cause rotation of said pinch rollers in said opposite direction upon rotation of said second drive gear with said input shaft.

3. An automatic quilting machine according to claim 2, in which said first and second drive gears are spaced apart along said input shaft, said clutch means includes a driving member rotatably coupled to said input shaft and being axially movable relative to the latter between said drive gears and driven members on said first and second drive gears selectively engageable by said driving member upon axial movement of the latter toward the respective drive gear, and said cam controlled mans includes electromagnetic means energizable to move said driving member axially toward one of said drive gears, cam actuated switch means to control energization of said electromagnetic means and spring means to move said driving member axially toward the other of said drive gears upon deenergizing of said electromagnetic means.

4. An automatic quilting machine according to claim 3, in which said driving member has annular arrays of teeth at its opposite sides respectively engageable with annular arrays of teeth on said driven members, the teeth on the driven member of said one drive gear and at the adjacent side of said driving member are raked in one direction to present mutually engageable drive surfaces that are in planes angled with respect to the axis of said input shaft, and the teeth at the other side of the driving member and on the driven member of the other drive gear are raked in the opposite direction to present mutually engageable drive surfaces in planes parallel to said shaft axis.

5. An automatic quilting machine according to claim 3, in which said driving member is positionable in a neutral position disengaged from both of said driven members, pawl and ratchet means are provided for preventing rotation of said pinch rollers in said opposite direction when said driving member is in said neutral position, and means are operative to disengage said pawl and ratchet means when said driving member is positioned to couple said second drive gear with said input shaft.

6. An automatic quilting machine according to claim 5, in which said means operative to disengage the pawl and ratchet means is also actuable by said electromagnetic means.

7. An automatic quilting machine according to claim 2, in which said means for rotatably connecting said first drive gear with said pinch rollers includes changespeed gear means operable to selectively establish different drive ratios between said first drive gear and said pinch rollers, and cam controlled means for shifting said change-speed gear means in predetermined synchronism with said controlled movements of the carriage and with changes in the direction of rotation of said pinch rollers by said reversible drive means.

8. An automatic quilting machine according to claim 1, in which change-speed gear means are interposed between said reversible drive means and said pinch rollers to selectively rotate the latter at different speeds, and cam controlled means are operative to shift said changespeed gear means and thereby select the rotational speed of said pinch rollers.

9. An automatic quilting machine according to claim 8, in which said change-speed gear means includes an input shaft rotated from said reversible drive means, first and second drive gears mounted on said input shaft for rotation relative to the latter, clutch means actuable by the respective cam controlled means to alternatively couple said first and second drive gears with said input shaft, an output shaft connected with said pinch rollers, and first and second driven gears secured on said output shaft and respectively meshing with said first and second drive gears, said first drive and driven gears and said second drive and driven gears having different teeth ratios.

10. An automatic quilting machine according to claim 1, in which said means yieldably resisting unwinding of the supply rolls includes, for each of the supply roll shafts, torsional spring means connected at one end to the respective shaft, anchor means connected to the other end of said spring means and being rotatable through said spring means in response to rotation of said respective shaft by unwinding of the supply roll thereon, and braking means resisting rotation of said anchor means with a predetermined frictional force so that, during unwinding of the supply roll on the respective shaft, said spring means is torsionally loaded to an extent limited by said frictional force and upon said subsequent rotation of the pinch rollers in said other direction, the torsionally loaded spring means rotates said respective shaft in the direction to rewind the supply roll thereon.

11. An automatic quilting machine according to claim 10, in which said torsional spring means is constituted by a helical spring extending around said respective shaft, said anchor means includes a collar having said respective shaft extending therethrough and being freely rotatable with respect to said collar, and said braking means frictionally engages an outer cylindrical surface on said collar.

12. An automatic quilting machine according to claim 11, in which said braking means includes a strap of frictional material wrapped on said cylindrical surface of the collar, and means connected to the ends of said strap to adjust the radial pressure of the latter on said cylindrical surface and hence to vary the magnitude of the frictional force for resisting rotation of said collar.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 456,726 7/1891 Koch 1l2ll8 3,348,507 10/1967 Kuhn 112-118 3,385,246 5/1968 Schlegel 1l2-ll8 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner GEORGE V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner 

